I would guess the Mainship you charter in FL is newer than the one with the single 8.2T?

We had an '87 34' Mainship III with DD a single 220-hp DD 8.2T. Previous iterations were usually built with single Perkins 210s, I think...

Great boat, as a matter of fact.

Anyway, we had no real problems with our engine. Johnson & Towers had done a service bulletin on the heat exchanger -- that the original owner hadn't addressed -- and that caused us some worry one day. Turned out to be easily upgraded, no biggy.

What sort of problems, exactly? Were they normally aspirated, or turbo? If turbo, which iteration?

As I remember most were turbo charged & in medium duty single axle trucks,some in equipment, there were various problems but head & coolant problems topped the list, I have no idea what the hp was on them. I remember having the heads off of one in 1993 when the flood happened, we were working near the Missouri River & had to tow it to higher ground to avoid the river getting it. I thought the best thing that could happen was for the river to take it collect the insurance, it was a very nice Chevrolet with a Allison automatic & a silverado cab. If I was looking at boats I wouldn't buy one with the 8.2 because there are to many used boats to choose from but that is just me & my experience with them, tearing one down in a truck is no fun & I doubt being in a boat improves the situation.

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Ron on Northern Lights II
I don't like making plans for the day because the word "premeditated" gets thrown around in the courtroom.

I also have twin 8.2 turbo’s (250’s). They had less than 2000 hrs. on them when I bought the boat. I did a trip last spring from S. Carolina to Key West (and back), and had no problems with them at all.

I put just over 200 hrs. on them by the time I got back. I did some maintenance on them before I left, like changing impellers, all filters and belts and such.

I averaged 7.5 kts over 1600 miles at roughly 1700 rpm. I never did sit down to figure out what my “fuel burn” was. Whatever it was I can live with it.

If you are serious about a boat with these engines, (or any engines) I suggest you get a good, reputable diesel mechanic to give them a thorough inspection, including while underway.

Any motor, no matter what make, will give you headaches ($) if it hasn’t been properly maintained. KJ

Skids - I have two 8.2L Detroits and when an engine surveyor flunked them for a buyer before me, it let me in, to be able to buy the boat for an even sweeter song (I had owned it briefly 7 years before).

I ended up with much more boat than my budget would dictate, because of 8.2 folklore.

So get out there and get yourself a bargain - and know that 8.2's are as solid and reliable as any out there (and easier to listen to than Cummins - bin there...).

I there folks, I'm a new guy to this forum and taking a shot at my FIRST POST, I'm a little nervous so be gentle. I've been a sailor for about 50 years (oh my, I just added it up) and have had many sail and small motor boats in my life of toy acquisition. We are thinking about keeping a little pocket cruiser 26' sail boat and sticking a toe in the trawler world. I'm chartering a Maineship in Florida in 2 weeks and shopping this weekend. We'll be shopping our tails off in Florida for a month or so after 15 Dec. I've heard the "it depends on the care of the previous owner" concept and I get it totally. As I search the historical posts here, I see concerns about fuel tanks, window leaks, but little else that seems to be manufacturer-specific. The one we're going to look at has Detroit Diesels, 220 hp, 8.2 liters, no teak decks, low (maybe too low) unknown engine hours, and a nicely maintained boat. We're also looking at Heritage East, Albin, Sabreline, and Mainship. Anyone care to rank these in overall quality for a 35 - 40', sun deck, galley down trawler? Any issues with these boats out-of-production with out of business builders?

Thanks for any responses from you smart, experienced folks. Cpt. Dave

Find an independent surveyor that has no ties to the seller. broker or marina/boat yard where the boat sits. Boats from the 80's and 90's, including those you listed, are prone to have underwater blisters. Big expense to repair and/or big loss of value if you don't fix it and want to sell in a few years. Teak hand rails are major expense in time or money to maintain. Teak decks tend to absorb water and become soft to walk on. Aluminum fuels tanks tend to leak. Another big expense to tear out fuel tanks and replace them. If you spot water damage around windows, you most likely have another big expense to remove and to re-seal. You should get an independent engine survey with someone who knows the engine brand and someone who will be on board at sea trial. You can count on A/C systems and refrigeration systems lasting anywhere from 4 to 6 years, so a system listed by the owner as "newer" may be on it's last legs. Inability to get up to the correct rotation at WOT may say a lot about shafts, bearings, wheels, transmissions. All expensive components.

You need a professional sorting these things out ON YOUR BEHALF. Do not take recommendations for surveyors from owner, marina, broker or anyone who has a dog in the fight. Discuss with him what he will do, how long it will take, what he will charge and the depth of this analysis.